


She's American

by RainKandySux



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Bullying, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Happy Ending, M/M, NSFW, Romance, Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:15:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26566423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainKandySux/pseuds/RainKandySux
Summary: Who knew joining a foreign communications program would flip his expectations for his last year at Nekoma? Who knew that flying out to Karasuno High for her senior year would be the best decision she ever made? A story about a Kitty and a Rooster making the best out of a friendship-turned romance.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Kuroo Tetsurou/Original Female Character(s), Shimizu Kiyoko/Tanaka Ryuunosuke
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I recently got into this fandom and haven't found as many Kuroo fics as I wanted to (other than on Tumblr and that formatting is hard for me to read) SO, I decided to write one! I love any feedback, so don't be afraid to send any my way. I was originally wanting to set this up as a reader-insert, but it's easier for me to give the OC physical characteristics for visualization purposes when I'm writing because the y/n h/c thing is hard for me to get into. That's my own issue though, and hope you can forgive me!
> 
> Thank you so much for taking time to read this! I hope this prologue doesn't deter any away from the juicy story that will follow!

Katherine Cole, "Kitty," as she preferred, sat tapping her pencil on the desk she was leaning on. The Alabama spring was already insufferable. She could feel the pollen-tainted humidity seep in from the window she was staring out.

"Congratulations, Kitty!" Her Chemistry teacher exclaimed as he returned to the classroom from a last minute meeting.

"OoOOo what did our little ol nerd do this time?" The class clown asked on behalf of all the other students thinking the same thing.

Okay, she wasn't _intentionally_ a troublemaker. She was simply a curious individual that happened to get carried away from time to time.

The most recent incident that landed her in the principal's office was one involving the water fountain. She had blown it up by stuffing a sodium/potassium alkali metal into the mouthpiece. Her teacher told her that it was explosive when it encountered water and she didn't believe him.

"Nothing involving chemical reactions this time, thankfully," their teacher sighed as his eyes glazed over just thinking about that last disaster.

"Katherine, along with twelve other students, have been involved with our foreign communications program we've been sharing with Japan since they were in middle school. Out of those students, she has been the only one accepted to participate in a student exchange. Ms. Cole will be spending her senior year at Karasuno High in the Miyagi Prefecture."

"What does that mean? Is that where my pen pal person is?"

"Unfortunately, not. Tetsuro Kuroo attends Nekoma High in the Nerima Ward in Tokyo. Four hours south of where you'll be staying. We were originally going to send you there, but his school found your...record of property damage in the name of science a bit too risky; however, it is encouraged for you to spend your school breaks with him for cultural enhancement. Now, please head over to the principal's office for more information."

"Cultural enhancement? Like getting freaky with the locals? Hell, I shoulda signed up, bruh!" The comedian added.

"Please, Mr. Anderson, return back to your schoolwork. You're dismissed, Katherine."

"Yes, sir" Kitty smiled, collected her books, and walked down the hall.

As a loner in Birmingham's largest city school system, it wasn't easy to make close friends. She had only made one. Kenyetta, that one and only friend, passed away in a drive-by last year. The memory of her death had yet to fade. This chance at starting a new year in a completely different country would hopefully give her the distraction she needed to fill the void "KiKi" left behind.

Kitty paused to look at her trembling hands.

She could still feel that sticky texture on her fingertips. She could still smell the iron scent of blood that stained the concrete sidewalk that afternoon as she desperately put pressure on the back of her friend's head.

She'll never forget the way KiKi's ebony curls felt that day. The matted texture from the plasma oozing into the gorgeous locks wasn't something that could be easily erased from one's mind.

* * *

_KiKi's hair was usually braided into immaculate patterns, but that day she had taken them down and let her tightly coiled twists hang around her head like a halo of onyx._

_"I wish I had golden hair like you, Kitty."_

_"But you can do so many things with yours. Mine just kinda hangs here all thin and boring."_

_"Yeah, yeah. Well, you know what they say girl."_

_"You always want what you don't have."_

_It was an innocent conversation they were having when the gunshots deafened the air around them._

* * *

* * *

Kitty buried herself into extra-curricular activities after that day. She joined the dance team thanks to her mother's push, she began taking Japanese that Kuroo, her pen pal, was patient enough to let her practice within their emails, and she even volunteered to work concessions at the girls volleyball games.

She only stood at a whopping five feet in height, so she never really had a chance at playing the sport herself, but that didn't stop her from supporting her best friend that did. KiKi had been the ace and good god could that girl _spike_.

The sound that came along with the ferocious slap of the ball gave her shivers every time. Now, she would never get to experience the thrill of the game with KiKi no longer here with her.

Kuroo also played the sport. That, along with their shared interest in science and endless curiosity in one another's countries, kept their conversations going even after six years.

The Principal's friendly cough brought the seventeen-year-old back to the present.

"Kenyetta's passing has been hard for our community, yes, but your personal attachment to her has not gone unnoticed. It is for this reason, along with your outstanding grades and persistence to keep up with your pen pal, that we have selected you for this opportunity. Your teachers and mother agree that sending you out to discover the culture and wonders of Japan will be an excellent chance for you to rediscover yourself."

"It is the perfect distraction."

"Indeed. Now, let's discuss the curriculum you'll be expected to adhere to."

* * *

Japan huh?" Kitty's mother remarked for the upteenth time.

It wasn't easy being a single parent. All she wanted to do was give her little girl the luxuries in life she never had, but she failed time and time again. At least her baby would get to spread her wings out of Alabama.

"Yep. Tonight at Midnight I get to have a conference call with Karasuno's Superintendent, the principal, and the third year class representative. Then, I finally get to have one with my pen pal that helped me land this opportunity!"

"Do you think he'll be cute, this Kuroo person?"

"Mom!"

"Well, don't you ever think about it? You've been his correspondence for half a decade now. Haven't you ever wondered what he looked like?" Her mother laughed as she watched her petite daughter blush in embarrassment.

"Now I am," Kitty shrugged uncomfortably. It was hard not getting attached to the only person that seemed to like her other than KiKi. Naturally, her silly girl hormones couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to speak with him face-to-face.

And now she was going to be.

Her mother proceeded to finish packing up for her as the conference call continued throughout the night. Finally, around three in the morning, she prepared for the zoom chat with the captain of Nekoma's volleyball club.

She felt the weight of her eyes from lack of sleep win over her excitement with finally meeting him.

"Yo, Kitty Cat! Don't tell me you're already bored. I haven't even said anything yet," Kuroo teased as he set up his laptop in the gym his team was practicing in. It was five in the evening for him.

"Hmm? Oh! I'm so sorry," Kitty mumbled as she jumped awake.

She rubbed her grey eyes sleepily as she adjusted the brightness of her screen.

Kuroo studied the girl he had been limited, up until now, to email conversations with. He wasn't sure what he really expected her to look like, but it certainly wasn't...this. He hoped his ears weren't as red as they felt.

Eyes resembling storm clouds softened as her plump lips turned up into a smile once she finally woke up enough to acknowledge him. Her long, blonde hair was wrapped into two buns on the top of her head.

So this is what a Southern Belle looks like? He thought, deciding that joining the foreign communications team in middle school just to add to his resume was worth it.

"I accept your apology, meatball head."

"Meatball head? That's clever coming from someone whose hair resembles a rooster," Kitty replied evenly.

Kuroo's hyena like laughter filled her dimly lit room.

"I don't style it this way. This is all natural, kitten," he winked, unable to stop the word from slipping out.

"Listen to you! You are a rooster. Cackling like one, having hair like one, and then having the cockiness to flirt with me like one!"

"As long as I get to call you kitten all I want, I'll allow the rooster moniker. How does that sound?"

"Deal!"

"So, is your plane leaving tomorrow night?"

"Yep. It's going to be a long fourteen hours."

His grin widened the longer they talked. Her accent was something he hadn't heard before and it sounded cute in Japanese. The sultry way she slurred her words was intoxicating.

"I don't want to rush you or anything, but you should probably start practice soon," Kenma (at least that's who Kitty assumed it was based on the descriptions she received from Kuroo) quietly spoke up with his eyes glued to a game he was playing while walking over.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be there in five minutes. Anyway, Kitty, I'm going to send you a list of places to see and do during our breaks. Oh, and can I get your number? It'll be easier for us to communicate that way when you get here."

"Sure!"

 _That_ is how Kuroo Tetsuro found himself thinking about an American he had known for years but never bothered sparing a second thought to until now.


	2. Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO MUCH research was involved in this chapter and probably the whole fic lol. Anywho, I am so very thankful for the feedback! Thank you for taking time to read this and the patience involved for the update! ALSO, this still technically takes place in the 2012-2013 cannon timeline along with the timeskip later on :3

**March 25th**

Katherine spent her entire fourteen-hour flight thinking about how she hadn't technically finished her junior year of high school. With her school system ending in May and starting in August and Japan's ending in March but starting in April, there were several scheduling conflicts.

Despite the concerns involved with completing the semester early, her school system and mother did not have any reservations with her following through with the arrangement. They both found this opportunity advantageous for the future of the city school's reputation and the girl's personal growth.

Much to the sixteen-year-old's surprise, she received care packages from both the dance team she was a part of as well as KiKi's volleyball team. She hadn't realized that she had any impact on the groups, yet both took time to make it clear to her just how much they valued her support by sharing their own.

Here, on the train ride to Nerima Ward, she sat snacking on some of the candy she received from them and reading the notes they stuffed into the package too.

She was recalling the previous evening's events as she delicately placed the cheerful words back into a box within her suitcase: departing from Tokyo's airport, meeting a group of representatives for Japan's exchange student program, and learning just how sloppy her Japanese really was.

_Poor Kuroo. I hope he doesn't mind working with me on my dialect..._ she grimaced as she continued to nibble on a skittle.

The train ride was peaceful and nothing like the bus rides she had endured back in Birmingham. She couldn't help but wonder if the Rooster's home city would match the quiet ambiance or if it would be all hustle-and-bustle like hers.

An older woman watched the obvious traveler in slight entertainment. The young girl could not keep still. Her tiny feet continued the tap dance sound of impatience.

_She was clearly meeting someone at the next stop. Was it a friend, or more perhaps? Ah, definitely a lover,_ the woman nodded to herself once Kitty twirled a finger through her hair nervously.

The blonde gnawed on her bottom lip anxiously once the light ding and following announcement let her know that she had arrived at Nerima City. A soft sigh escaped her trembling lips as she pulled her rolling suitcase behind her.

_It's Kuroo. You've known him for six years. Stop being so weirdly afraid of what he's going to think of you. He knows the nerdy things about you. He knows the cool things about you. He isn't a stranger so why are you so freaked about what he's going to think of you now, Kitty Cat?!_ Katherine spat as she inner monologued her way off the train.

She was wearing a black, Nirvana, t-shirt styled crop top along with high-waisted, white skinny jeans and black Air Force 1's she had gotten for Christmas. What if it was too revealing? What if her style at home wasn't something trendy or acceptable here?

WHY DIDN'T SHE RESEARCH TRENDS IN JAPAN BEFORE COMING HERE?

Kitty, disgusted with herself at this point, attempted to drown the worries away by focusing on scanning the crowd around her. The boy she was expecting to meet here should be nearby at this point.

Testurō Kuroo nearly choked on the iced strawberry frappuccino he was sipping on. The fear of spilling the one he got for Kitty was the only thing keeping him from sprinting over to her.

_Holy shit,_ he thought as he watched her search for him.

He didn't think anyone as adorable as the American could exist, that she couldn't possibly get any cuter. But then, her timid-filled gaze locked onto his messy, bird-like mane and he forgot how to breathe.

Her rainy-day irises lit up like silver reflecting the sun's warmth the longer she observed the young man responsible for her for the week before she would be sent to the Miyagi Prefecture for school.

"Rooster?" Her surprisingly rough voice for one so small called out to him, hoping that she wasn't staring at the wrong person.

A friendly wink let her know that the perfect male specimen (at least that's what KiKi would have called the man) she had been ogling was indeed the pen pal.

Tetsurō was every bit as kind and patient as she expected. His mannerisms were surprisingly withdrawn and awkward at first for someone that oozed with confidence the night she spoke with him on Zoom.

The longer they walked through the city so that she could stretch her stiff muscles from the long trips, the less tense he became and the goofier he behaved. She liked his surely grins. She liked his absurd laugh. And, oh dear, she liked the way he didn't act embarrassed to be walking with someone clearly foreign.

The two were posed inappropriately with one of the bronze statues at the Oizumi Anime Gate, snapping pictures, when Kitty's two-minute yawn reminded the athlete chaperoning her around just how exhausted she was.

"Shit, Kitty, you have to be tired. We have all week to do this and you really should sleep off the jet lag."

"Aww. I feel fine, Rooster. We haven't even gone to the—"

"Nope, whining is not going to get you anywhere with me. It's time to get you to my place."

"But I really want to g—"

"I said it's time for rest, kitten."

"And I say not until I—"

"Okay, I see that you're not the reasonable type, so it looks like I'm going to have to do this the hard way."

Kuroo interrupted her pleas, picked her up, and slung her over his shoulder. Then, he casually took her suitcase and toted her like that all the way back to the apartment he shared with his father as if the over-the-top action had been the most normal thing.

She couldn't even argue the matter. Every time she tried to speak up about how disrespectful it was to carry her around like she was a prize for the barbarian, he would pinch the underside of her right butt cheek!

By the time they arrived, she was grouchy and not in the mood for the burst of laughter he delivered once his father opened the door to let them in.

She could feel her face redden at the fact that Kuroo's father not only got to meet her ass before her, but that the ordeal how to be a terrible first impression. How could Rooster do this to her?!

"Hey Pops, look what I found at the train station," Kuroo continued to tease as he finally planted her feet on the ground to introduce her to his father.

"Tetsurō, I've already told you that there are more appropriate ways to pick flowers, yes?" The older man mirrored his son's silly laughter before bowing to the woman staring at them with her mouth agape.

Not knowing what else to do in the situation, Kitty mimicked the bow.

"Thank you for inviting me here," she replied, desperately running through all the manners she learned from Kuroo's descriptive notes.

Manners, just like in the Southern states of America, were really important here too. It was the only thing the two cultures had in common, but at least it was something familiar to her.

"Oh! The honor is ours, trust me. I am very thankful that you survived my son's quirky behavior all these years, even if it was virtual."

At that, Kitty laughed. "It's the other way around, I assure you, Ojisan!"

Then, she watched what Kuroo did before entering the home so that she wouldn't mess up anything. She pushed her tennis shoes next to Kuroo's and stepped up into the apartment where a pair of size four slippers rested beside the volleyball player's own size twelves. They had gotten her some too?

She smiled as she slipped her petite feet in and slowly followed the raven-haired boy.

"So, this is the living room. The kitchen is behind it over there," Kuroo began the tour of the small apartment that only he and his father shared.

"Then," he continued as he carried her suitcase down the single hallway, "the bathroom is here. There's plenty of room under the cabinets for your bath stuff so don't be afraid to take up too much space."

"Thank you."

"No problem, and here is my room. It's where you'll be sleeping. The last room on the left is my dad's."

"I hate kicking you out. Are you sure? I really don't mind staying on the couch," Kitty frowned, rubbing the back of her head worriedly.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kitty," he snickered before taking a seat in the desk chair.

"If you say so," she rolled her eyes.

"I made room in the closest for your clothes too. I promised to play a game with Kenma, so I'm going to hang out in here for a while if you don't mind," he added before putting on a headset, connecting to discord, and tuning whatever answer she had out.

It was strangely surreal how easily the two fell into place. They already got the tricky part of friendships over with, so the relationship wasn't completely unusual. They already knew each other's birthdays, favorite colors, likes, dislikes, etc.

So why did she feel so out of whack?

_KiKi always wanted to take a trip to Japan. Here I am living that for her. It's not fair. She deserved this chance as much as I did._

She looked around the room as she unpacked her bag. The walls were lined with posters from popular bands, volleyball players, and one of Azabu University, a college known for veterinarian medicine.

He did mention wanting to go to vet school once upon a time ago. Did he still plan on it?

* * *

An hour later, he removed the headset and motioned for her to join him in the kitchen.

"You mentioned that your favorite Japanese food is red-snapper uramaki styled sushi. I figured that what you've had in Alabama is okay and all, but it can't get better than what's offered here. I got ingredients yesterday and wanted to make your first meal in Tokyo the best," he winked and flexed his fingers.

"...are you serious? YOU'RE GONNA MAKE SUSHI FOR ME."

"Haha, well yeah Kit, can you get the fish out of the fridge while I get the counter ready to chop it up?"

"Of course!"

Katherine watched in awe as he easily sliced the fish, prepared the rice, and wrapped the ingredients all together perfectly.

"For you, little kitty," he smirked and pushed a plate over to her.

She devoured it in less than a minute.

"More, please," she asked, her rounded eyes batting up at the young man whose mouth was popped open at her ferocious appetite.

"Oh..uh...right away, Kit Cat!" He muttered and began wrapping another serving for her.

Three more roles and nearly the entire fish later, she finished.

"Wow you can eat," Kuroo's father acknowledged as he joined them in the kitchen.

"I...we...umm...we eat big back home. I'm not used to single servings of anything really," she blushed, suddenly aware of what she had done.

"Tetsurō's mother had a ravenous appetite too. It's nice to see someone share her love of food," he laughed as he recalled his late wife's hungry nature.

The comment helped calm the girl who had thought she had made a faux pas. Twenty minutes later, she and Kuroo had the kitchen cleaned and were back in his room.

**8:00PM**

Every so often, Kuroo would turn his attention away from the game he was playing and glimpse at the blonde sifting through the manga he had stacked in the shelf opposite him. He took note of the _Hunter X Hunter_ one she picked up.

"Hey Kit, you may not want to start that one. The mangaka is on hiatus and I'd hate for you to get invested in something that isn't finished yet."

"Aww. What about this one?" She asked, returning the manga and pulling out _Naruto._

"It's not done, but it's getting pretty close."

"Thank you. Um...I'm probably going to wind down now, if that's okay?" She blushed, as she held up some pjs and headed to the bathroom.

She cleaned the makeup off and hoped that she didn't appear to washed-out. It was one of the things KiKi always teased her about. Her pale skin could make her look sickly when she didn't have makeup to hide behind. What if this altered Kuroo's opinion of her?

* * *

_"I know I joke about your whiteness, Kitty Cat, but if I catch anyone else sayin somethin to you about it, I won't wait to beat em down. Especially if it's a man. I'll knock a brother out, ion care."_

_"Pfft I'll do the same for you. I may be five-foot nothin, but you've taught me how to handle my own. I've only made it this far because of your survival skills, KiKi. What am I gonna do when we graduate, and you go on to be a badass volleyball player for the Olympics?"_

_"You're gonna either go to college to be a science teacher or go to college and get a choreography degree cause you and that thick ass of yours can dance!"_

* * *

_He's just a friend, so what does it matter?_ She thought as she examined her appearance before brushing her teeth.

Kitty instantly regretted washing the makeup off as soon as she walked back to Kuroo's room. His hazel eyes scanned over her and she unconsciously ducked her head to hide her face.

"Oh, uh, Kitty, I guess I'm keeping you up," Kuroo stuttered as he slammed his headset down and tripped away from the desk.

Kitty scoffed at his bizarre behavior. Why was he acting so scared? Was she that ghastly?!

"I know I look like a ghost, but damn Kuroo you don't have to be so jittery. It hurts my feelings," she stuck out her bottom lip before tucking herself into his bed.

"Hh..huh? What are you going on about?" He mumbled, trying to gather what little sanity he had left after she bombarded his room in all her natural beauty with no bra on and shorts short enough that he could see the part of her bottom he had pinched earlier that day.

And her legs! They looked as if they had been cut from ivory, creamy and thick and _why was he thinking about her thighs wrapped around his neck with her pussy sitting on his face?_

"You look shook. Like you've seen a spirit or something. Am I that horrifying?" She mumbled from beneath a blanket she was hiding in.

Kuroo doubled over in rambunctious laughter. She thought he found her revolting when he was really thinking about her fucking his face? Bokuto and Kenma were already planning on coming over the next day to meet her and he knew the former would certainly voice those dirty thoughts out loud.

_Poor, poor, little American_ , he thought as he pictured Bokuto's inevitable sexual harassment.

"Get out!" She sassed and threw a pillow at him when his laughter wouldn't stop.

Ten minutes later, she was curled up in a fetal position unable to sleep despite the overwhelming exhaustion she had been fighting since her arrival.

It wasn't that she was uncomfortable— her hosts went out of their way to make her feel as welcomed and safe as possible. The bed was surprisingly soft, warm, and was even scented like the magnolia trees back home (a fragrance she mentioned years ago being her favorite which reminded her just how careful to detail Kuroo had been).

It was the _silence_ that was keeping her awake.

Living in the urban area of a large city guaranteed a steady buzz of traffic, base-pumping, and the humdrum sounds of the homeless. Nerima had a completely opposite vibe about it.

The wind's soft whispering tickling the window in the room was the only noise that could soothe her and it was not enough to lull the Birmingham girl to sleep. Which was why she found herself tiptoeing down the hall at two in the morning.

She watched the snoring teen sleep, sprawled out on the couch that was clearly too short for him. A wave of guilt reminded her just how inconvenient she was making his night, but it wasn't enough for her to stop what she did next.

"Rooster," she whispered. The first attempt to wake him being a failure.

"Tetsurō," she spoke up a bit more and poked his nose.

"Hmm? Oh, kitten, what's wrong?" He asked and immediately sat up with a look of worry.

"I... it's silly, but I can't sleep. It's just so quiet..."

"I can fix that," he sleepily grinned before standing up.

She followed him back to his room where he set his computer up to play traffic noises quietly in the background.

"Wait... can you maybe stay for a little longer?" Kitty whispered again as she laid her head back down.

"Sure," he quietly replied, understanding how uncomfortable she must feel being in a new place with different sounds, textures, and people.

She pulled him down to lay beside her. Minutes later, his stiff demeanor at being alone in a bed with a girl relaxed.

She was _just_ a girl. She was _just_ Katherine. She was just the girl that caught her hair on fire in the ninth-grade chemistry lab. She was just the girl that tried out for a school musical but couldn't sing well enough to even be in the background.

It wasn't like it she was Kashiyuka from Perfume, some pop star babe.

It was _just_ Kitty.

Kitty Cat was just the girl that talked to him for over six years about anything and everything. She was just the girl whose grey eyes could outperform any thunderstorm. She was just the girl whose raspy laugh was enough to challenge his own rowdy one. She was just the girl who wasn't afraid to be herself around him unlike the ones at school who acted out for his attention.

_She was just the girl whose feet were currently rubbing into his shins as she buried her face into his ribcage as sleep finally overcame her._

One day. That one day was all it took for Tetsurō Kuroo to know that the ever-growing feelings he was gaining from the friendship was one he wasn't going to let go of any time soon.


	3. Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope y'all continue to like what I serve XD. There is angst in this chapter!

"Bro! When's she gonna get up?" Bokuto whined as he attempted to go down the hall to Kuroo's room, only to be stopped by the ebony-haired teen tackling him mid-step.

"I told you, idiot, that she has jetlag and needed the sleep."

"But, _bro,_ she only has like five days left here in Tokyo before she has to leave for school. Oh...man...do you think her host in Miyagi will be a guy too?"

"Don't antagonize him," Kenma mumbled up from the game he paused. He was the only one aware of Kitty's stretching form entering the hallway.

"It's a third-year girl named Kiyoko. Oh, Kenma? Is that you?" The petite blonde smiled nervously at Kuroo's best friend standing at the end of the hall. She had only seen him once before, but he was every bit as adorable in person as she thought he'd be.

She took a step forward to greet him when she felt something oddly squishy under her foot, causing her to squeal and trip.

"Ouuuff muh face," Bokuto mumbled seconds before the girl stumbled over his head and onto Kuroo.

"I'm so sorry...umm...Bokuto is it?" Kitty asked anxiously, hoping that she was saying his name right.

"Hey hey hey, Kuroo, you didn't tell me you talked about me. I must have done something pretty cool for her to recognize me, huh?"

"It's the hair and dramatics," Kitty teased as she stood back up.

She snorted at the two giants still on the floor. Where Kuroo was lean, toned, and broad-shouldered, Bokuto was slightly shorter, stockier, and had a more intimidating face and build.

"Fuck, Kuroo, you didn't tell me she was as sassy as you. Or that she was so cute," Bokuto replied as he stood to his feet to bow.

Kenma had yet to return to his game. He found the stranger's accent and Bokuto's bold flirtation too distracting. What was the Fukurōdani captain thinking, acting like that in front of Kuroo who was obviously into the long-haired blonde standing over him?

"Pffft _cute_ , is not a word he would use to describe someone he finds hideous. Tell them, Rooster. Tell them how you nearly fainted last night when I walked into your room all bare-faced and ghostly. Like I am now," she laughed, filling the room with throaty chuckles.

" _What_ are you talking about, dude, Kitty is a total babe!" Bokuto spoke up before Kuroo could explain.

"Shut up, you pointy haired bastard. She misunderstood my—"

"Just ignore them, Kitty. I'm sure you're wanting to shower and get ready for the day...umm I mean...night..." Kenma interrupted.

_Hmm night?_ Kitty thought, concerned that she misinterpreted the terminology. Maybe she had the words mixed up?

"Yeah, you're right. So where exactly are we going?"

"We're spending the evening in Shibuya. It's one of the top fashion centers of Japan, Kit Cat," Kuroo answered.

" _And_ the ultimate spot for nightlife shenanigans, Kit, you're gonna have so much fun with me. We'll get wasted in Nonbei Yokocho and then we can makeout at the—"

"I told you to shut the fuck up, frosted-tips," Tetsurō slapped his palm over the enthusiastic friend to stop him from saying anything else that would piss him off.

"Aww Rooster, don't be mean to the only male that's going to find me pretty while I'm here!" Kitty snickered before going back to the room to find an outfit suitable. She was completely unaware of the argument between the seventeen-year olds she left behind.

She settled on black shorts with black, lace tights, and a sheer, long-sleeved top with a crimson red bandeau bra underneath. She planned on wearing matching red combat boots and hoop earrings to complete the look.

She only made it halfway back down the hallway when she was stopped by Bokuto grinning down at her.

"I looked up some things Southern people like and sweet tea was at the top of the list. I don't understand what that means, but I do know that I want to try some. So, like, can you make some for us?" He asked before Kuroo could scold him again.

"Bahahahaaa, oh my good god, _yes_ I would love to make some for you. Is there anything else you need to get off your chest at this very moment?" The Alabamian laughed at the random question he found so urgent that he prevented her from showering.

"Well now that you mention it, so...do you...well you know...have a boyfriend back home or?"

"Bokuto. You are a barium, silicon, carbon, bismuth, technetium, hydrogen person. She's not interested," Kuroo called out from the living room.

"Bro, I'm a _what_?"

"A BaSiC BiTcH."

Kitty's raspy laughter echoed from the bathroom, making the spikey-haired third-year blush and Kuroo smirk in satisfaction.

Twenty minutes later, Katherine opened the door to let the steam out. Her long hair was wrapped up in a towel as she headed to the kitchen. The three boys sitting in the living room waiting for her, turned to watch the girl pull out three black tea bags, the teapot, and then begin the tea making process.

While the tea sat in the heating water, she scooped out two to threeish cups of sugar and dumped it into a pitcher.

"Oh...uh...that was a lot of sugar," Kenma mumbled, his game neglected off to his side. Sugar was _not_ something they used a lot of, and they never put it in tea.

They continued to watch her in growing concern. The trio exchanged looks of terror once she placed ice in three glasses and poured the sugary concoction for them.

"So, yeah, this is sweet tea," she smiled worriedly as she brought it over to them.

All three took a single sip. Kenma's face soured, Bokuto immediately spat his out, and Kuroo managed to choke his down and say a polite 'thanks' before pushing the rest away.

"Wow."

"Sorry, kitten, but you didn't have to try and kill us!" Kuroo retorted and gathered the glasses to dump them out.

"None of you better ask me to make anything ever again," she jokingly replied and guzzled down her own.

_This is freaking delicious. I don't know what the hell is wrong with them._

"We don't normally put sugar in tea, Kitty," Kenma explained.

"What exactly did you think the _sweet_ in sweet tea was? Never mind, don't even answer that," Kitty stuck her tongue out and headed back to the bathroom to fix her hair and face.

"Okay, so maybe we should do a bit more researching before we ask her anything else. What if we actually offend her next time?" Kenma whispered, afraid that she would overhear him.

"We won't learn anything if we don't ask though. She doesn't seem the type to get upset about those things, so stop being so scared of her," Kuroo chuckled.

Katherine Cole giggled to herself as she dried her hair. Tea was something of an acquired taste regardless of where you go. Someone in this country was bound to like her version of it as much as she did, she just hadn't found them yet.

She curled her hair and then brushed the coils lightly to give the pale locks some volume. Then, she started on makeup. She still wasn't totally familiar with the beauty standards of the area, so she opted to go with something simple like beige eye shadow, black eyeliner only on the top lids, mascara, and a pink-tinted chapstick for her lips.

"To Shibuya then?" She asked once she rejoined the boys.

Kenma nodded his head and put on a jacket before heading to the door. The other two hadn't done anything but sit there and stare at her.

"...Why are you looking at me like that? Should I change? I don't really know what's fashionable here and I don't want to embarrass anyone or..."

"You look great, Kit, let's go," Kuroo snapped out of the trance first, threw an arm around her shoulders and followed Kenma outside.

Steel-grey eyes widened at the setting sun. "What time is it again?"

"It's seven thirty in the evening," Kenma answered.

"So, I didn't misunderstand you earlier? It really is this late?"

"Don't give us that pouty face. You needed the rest, Ms. Cole," Kuroo pressed his index finger over her puckering bottom lip to stop her from arguing, "We'll make sure you're up before nine the rest of the week, okay?"

* * *

The second they stepped off the train and out of the Hachiko Exit, Kitty was reminded of Times Square in NYC. The vibrant neon signs and crowded streets were a welcoming site.

The boys trailing behind the bouncing blonde had to pause every five minutes for her to take pictures, but they didn't seem to mind. If anything, her enthusiasm mirrored the liveliness of the atmosphere. She was _fun_ and her cheerful laughter made the trip worthwhile.

"For someone who's supposed to be some science nerd, you really like being around people," Bokuto mentioned as she handed Kuroo a third shopping bag.

"Rooster told you I was a nerd?!" The small, grey-eyed teenager scoffed in a mocking manner.

"It's true, I guess. I don't usually like being social to be honest. Back home I was a loner and only had one good friend. Nobody knows me here, so it's easier for me to be more myself. If any of you don't really like me, it's okay because it's not like I'll have to see y'all on a regular basis like the people back home, you know? So, I'm going to have as much fun here without worrying about the judgement," Kitty admitted and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

Kuroo and Bokuto shared looks of confusion but dismissed any concern for her life in the States as she took off down Center Gai. They couldn't worry about what it was like for her there when they needed to look out for her here.

"There are vending machines for literally everything! HOLY SHIT, LOOK! You like silver, don't you, Rooster? My mom is going to DIE when I show her this," Kitty laughed as she pointed out one that had lingerie hanging and selected the option that was a shiny metallic color she mentioned.

She then held it up, lifted a peace sign, and winked beside Kenma who matched her pose for a picture. She snorted at Kuroo's face before she stuffed the item in one of the many bags he was holding for her before she skipped over to a store selling hats.

An hour later, Kitty was sipping on some milk tea with tapioca pearls at the bottom of it and causally strolling along with Kenma while Bokuto and Kuroo exchanged flirty pickup lines with one another behind them.

"Bro, if you were a library book, I'd totally check you out."

"Thanks bro. Do you believe in love at first site, or should I walk by again?"

"Dude."

"Dude."

"How long does this usually go on?" Kitty whispered to Kenma who had ignored his gaming the entire trip to get to know the girl tagging along with them.

"Probably the rest of the night."

"Oh dear."

"Yo, Bokuto," someone with short, dark hair and thick eyebrows called out to the group.

"Hey hey hey Akaashi! Glad you could join us. Meet, Kitty-san, Kuroo's chick from Alabama," the teen with two-toned hair called out.

"Did you hear that, Kuroo? Did you hear the way he said Alabama like a redneck? I- I can't," Kitty cried with Tetsurō, both doubled over in laughter.

"I'm only able to say it how you say it, Kit," Bokuto snickered.

"What do you know, Bokuto? Another wild laugher. Neither denied her being Kuroo's though," Akaashi smirked as he watched the two cackling buffoons making fun of his captain freeze.

Kitty's growling stomach ended the awkward silence.

"There's a place a few minutes from here that's a favorite. The servers are always so nice," Kuroo advised, taking Kitt's hand in his own casually and leading the others.

"They're so nice because they think you're cute," Kenma added with an agreeing nod from Akaashi.

"He is, isn't he?" Kitty smiled up at the young man whose face was reddening.

The five were welcomed graciously and sat a table. Kenma took a seat to the right of Kitty, Akaashi taking the one to her left so that Kuroo was forced to sit across from her with Bokuto across from Akaashi.

All excitement and buzz from the evening's events evaporated the longer Kitty stared at the menu. It was in kanji which she hadn't quite figured out. Akaashi, sensing her distress while the two goofballs across from them shoved chopsticks up their noses, leaned closer to her and explained what was what.

Once she placed her ordered, she politely dismissed herself to the restroom. She was headed back when the waitress for her table stopped her.

"Are you unable to read?" The waitress spoke up once Kitty realized that she wasn't going to get back to the table without confrontation.

"It's still a bit confusing, but I'm getting better at interpreting the symbols," Kitty replied. She could feel the tips of her ears burning from embarrassment.

"How much are they paying you?"

"Oh, umm, I'm not sure what you mean?"

"You work around Love Hotel Hill, don't you?"

"I'm not entirely sure if I'm understanding what you mean."

"Ah, you can't read and you can't think properly. You are a yujo. They _are_ paying you for your exotic looks then! That explains it. I bet you make a lot of money just on your eyes alone."

"I don't know what you called me, but the alarm of disrespect is blaring, so if you'll excuse me," Kitty mumbled before turning back around to the bathroom.

She sat in a stall for a few minutes while she debated on her next move. She already showed weakness, so the waitress would be able to run all over her if she went back to sit with her new acquaintances. She could always try to befriend her like she did some of KiKi's dumb boyfriends...

* * *

" _Why you always hangin' round this weirdo, KiKi?"_

" _She's cool, Jabari, chill."_

" _Cool? Sis, she got first place in the science fair last year. That's so lame."_

" _So what if she's smart? She made the dance team too, so that counts for somethin'"_

" _Wait, lil nerd, you made the dance team?"_

" _Yes, Jabari, does that appease your standards of attraction of having me around?"_

" _Whatever smartass, you can come to the block party as long as you shake that thang, you know what I mean?"_

* * *

That boy had been something else, but she had KiKi to back her up then and they had always gotten along from that point on. Here, she was on her own for defending herself. Would she able to do the same with this other girl?

She wished Kenyetta was there to boost her confidence like she always had. Oh how she wished KiKi was there with her fierce brown-eyed look of confidence and beauty.

Nothing could touch her in those days.

She closed the stall door and examined her red-eyed gaze in the mirror.

A window to her right gave her a terrible idea. Like any sixteen-year-old that had just been insulted, she began to think irrationally.

_Exit through the bathroom window it is, then_ , she thought as she pushed the window up and carefully climbed out.

She walked and walked and _walked_ until she neared a park. The night was cold and still as she took a seat in a swing to contemplate the silent sadness threatening to ruin her fun.

* * *

"She's been in there for a while. You think she's okay?" Kenma spoke up twenty minutes later after the boys dug into their food.

"Maybe she wanted to touch up her makeup or something," Bokuto shrugged his shoulders.

"Sorry about the gaijin. I think I scared away your plaything. You boys should get your money back," the waitress frowned at the guys as she refilled their drinks.

"Wh-what did you say?" Kuroo frowned and quickly rose to his feet with along with Bokuto.

"I'll stay here and speak with the manager, you should go and find her," Akaashi stated before the waitress could reply.

Bokuto remained as Kenma and Kuroo took off into the invigorating world of Shibuya.

Kitty looked at her phone as it rang. _Oh boy_.

"Rooster, please don't be upset with me," she answered, praying that he wouldn't freak out on her right away.

"I'm not, kitten, where are you?" She could hear the stress in his deep voice despite the calm composure of his tone.

She didn't mean to bring him into this kind of drama. She was starting feel ashamed of her decisions that led her here. Why didn't she just boss up and take a seat back at the table and eat the goddamn food the waitress had to serve her regardless?! Noooo, she just had to run away like the chicken shit coward she was!

"A park. What is a yujo?"

"...Did the waitress call you that? Is that what she said to you, Kitty?"

"What does it mean?"

"Don't fucking worry about it. Yoyogi Park is where you're at?" He released a frustrated sigh. He shouldn't have taken her to a place like that at this hour. What was he thinking putting her in a situation like that?

"I am worried about it though. She made it seem like a bad thing and I don't want anything bad associated with you. I should have worn something else. I asked if I needed to change and you said this was fine! Now she thinks you like hooking up with whores. That's what she called me, isn't it? That's what yujo is, a slut or something right? I'm sorry, Rooster," she finally blurted out what was bothering her.

"You didn't do anything wrong, so stop acting like that. What part of the park are at right now?"

"You're not...ashamed of me?"

"What? Katherine, I swear to god, stop being so dense and answer my question."

_I didn't think he could be hotter, hell!_ She thought after the way he said her name sent a shiver down her spine.

"I'm walking back now. There was a swing and some picnic benches."

"Just stop where you are and let me come to you."

"I see Kenma. He looks...like he might slap me. He's too shy to do anything aggressive righeeep—" Kuroo heard Kitty shriek before the call disconnected.

Kenma had Kitty's left ear in his fingertips, dragging her to a bench when Kuroo found them.

"Don't you ever scare us like that again, Kitty," Kenma warned before he pulled out his game to wait for Bokuto and Akaashi to catch up.

"Hey Kit Cat, you—"

"I don't want to talk about it. There's this candy shop I wanted to go to before we go back to Kuroo's is that okay with you guys?"

"Yeah, sure, kitten," Tetsurō answered for the pack as they fell behind the girl.

"This is it. The holy grail of my favorite candy and look, Rooster, look at all the flavors I've been denied back home!" Kitty grinned as she slammed her palms onto the window displaying KitKats. Her cheerful demeaner had returned along with a happier mood.

Bokuto, Akaashi, and Kenma watched with knowing smirks as Kuroo purchased ten different flavors of KitKats for the silver-eyed Southerner. They _knew_ he had already spent his allowance for the week on her alone and they _knew_ he was enjoying every second of it.

"Are all of you staying the night with us?" Kitty asked as she snacked on the train ride back.

"Yep," Bokuto grinned and wiggled his eyebrows.

The rest of the night was spent with Kitty playing on her phone in-between Kuroo's long legs as he, Akaashi, and Bokuto played _Super Smash Bros._

She fell asleep with half of a mint flavored KitKat hanging out of her mouth and her head falling back onto Kuroo's chest.

"Bro, what are you going to do when you take her to meet your team? You think they'll behave?"

"If she can survive you, she'll be fine no matter how they act," Akaashi snickered as Kuroo removed the snack and closed Kitty's drooling mouth.

Tetsurō smiled at the sleeping beauty he carried back to his room so that she could sleep uninterrupted. He was going to make sure that tomorrow went by unscathed.


	4. Smiles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dialect the Americans use in this fic is how MY FRIENDS AND I speak. I know that sounds kind of silly to point out, but I just wanted to let my readers know that we are educated here even if we don't always sound like it lololol! WARNING: NSFW at the end!

" _You seem to like this dude. You really think he's the one? I mean, we're not even sixteen yet, KiKi."_

" _I don't_ think _he's the one. I_ know _he is."_

" _But... how?"_

" _One day, the way he looked at me, the way he smiled at me, the world seemed to pause, and everything clicked. I just knew it. I just knew he was my soulmate."_

" _His smile said all that? Are you sure that's what it was, or was it...you know...his dic—"_

" _Shut the hell up, Kitty, I'm bein' for real!"_

_The past conversation darkened when the deafening sound of gun fire took over._

_KiKi fell._

_The car sped away._

_Warm, red liquid painted Kitty's hands._

Katherine shot up from the bed, her tiny hands trembled as she checked them over. Despite knowing it was a nightmare, despite knowing that the gunshots from the dream were from the street sounds Kuroo had set up for her to sleep to, she could not unsee the blood sticking to her hands.

She stumbled to the bathroom in the half-asleep daze and began to wash her hands fervently. No matter how much soap, no matter how hard she scrubbed, she could not clean the red stains from her chapped knuckles.

"Kitty? Hey, kitten, snap out of it!" Kuroo scolded, shaking the confused girl awake.

"But the blood, I can't...oh...uh..." Kitty trailed in embarrassment.

"Is this about your best friend? You want to talk about it?"

"It's no big deal really. Sorry about that..."

"Hey, don't worry about it, okay? So, the guys are still awake if you want to come hang out with us. It may help you calm down or whatever."

"Yeah, sure, I'll be there in a minute."

Kitty proceeded to wash the night's makeup away while she thought about her lost friend.

_A smile,_ she pondered as she changed into one of Kuroo's middle school t-shirts he kept in his closet. It was the first item she could find, and she didn't want to dig through his things to find her own tops. She hoped he wouldn't mind.

A quick glance at her phone let her know that it was one in the morning. She tip-toed down the hall, trying to cause the least amount of disturbance as she could to compensate for her frantic handwashing from earlier.

She found the four teenaged boys sprawled out on the floor with snack wrappers and glass bottles littered around them. She tidied the mess to distract herself from the recurring nightmare; to distract herself from the memory of KiKi's luscious curls matted in blood.

She shook her head and focused on the four bickering at one another.

The boys didn't seem so tall and tough in their hunched over positions while they gamed. From where she stood, she could study the new acquaintances without them catching her.

She took note of the way Akaashi's knee rested on Bokuto's thigh and how the innocent action could be perceived as a thing couples would do. Were they an item?

She memorized the way Kenma hissed when he was losing a match. Was he always so catlike?

She watched Kuroo's bottom lip pucker out after he was considered the loser. Would he pout every time he lost? She hoped; it was a cute look for him after all.

_No, they aren't so big and bad here._

Her phone rang, forcing all five teens to jump.

_A video call from my old dance team? Oh boy, please let the girls act normal for once._

"Uh, hey? What's up?" Kitty answered softly.

She hoped the guys were too into the game to pay her any mind.

"What's wrong? Can you please put me on speaker so I can fully express myself, Kit Cat?"

"But I'm not alone and..."

"PUT ME ON SPEAKER SO I CAN FEEL LIKE YOU'RE LISTENING TO ME PROPERLY."

Kitty jerked the phone irritably aware from her ear and glared at it. Then, she looked over to Kuroo only to discover that he and all his friends were staring at her.

"Are y'all done playing the game? My dance team captain from back home is needing to talk to me and... well... it'll be easier to get it over with if I can transfer the video feed to the TV. She won't think I'm paying attention if she can't see me and since it's about dance, I know she's going to ask me to—"

"GIRL IF YOU DON'T SHUT THE FUCK UP AND PUT ME ON SPEAKER, I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL BOOK A FLIGHT AND—"

"Yeah, the TV's all yours, Kitty," Kuroo interrupted before pushing the couch out of the way so that she would have room to dance if needed.

The Japanese gentlemen appeared shook. They weren't used to girls their age being so... _brash_. Was that the word they were looking for? Was this normal behavior for Alabamians?

"Can you see me?" Kitty asked.

"Yes, girl. And we can all see the fine ass sirs behind you too. Which one is Kangaroo, or whatever the fuck his name is that you were too busy conversing with, to fuck with my big brother that I kept trying to set yo—"

"All righty then, that's enough of that. What is it that you called me for? What's wrong?"

"WHAT'S WRONG?! What's wrong? Do y'all hear this woman? What's wrong is that YOUR PUNK ASS LEFT US BEFORE THE SPRING COMPETITION IN MAY, MS. COLE."

"I didn't plan it! And can you please keep it down? My dad, I mean, Kuroo's dad is sleeping and I don't want to wake him up because of your loud ass mouth."

"I know you didn't just tell your captain to shut up."

"I didn't, sis, please it's like two in the morning."

"No, it's lunch time here, so wake your pretty blonde head up and get to stretching cause we really be needing your help for the number you choreographed before _you left us here to fail_."

"Oh, sweet heavenly father, please, I am begging you to give me the strength and the patience to—" Kitty mumbled to herself as she stretched her legs before her captain interrupted her.

"Shut up, Kitty, he doesn't listen to runaways and friend betrayers."

"Wow."

"Don't forget to stretch your back. Hey, you over there with the spikey silver hair like you an owl or some shit, can you spot her? She got weak back muscles and she could hurt her raggedy havin' self if she stretches wrong."

"His name is _Bokuto_ and I'd rather have Kur—"

"I got you, Kit Cat," Bokuto wiggled his eyebrows before shoving Kuroo out of the way. He even had the audacity to make a hum of approval as his face became level to her chest.

Kitty knew she should have insisted that Tetsurō spot her instead. She could feel Akaashi's judgement across from her. She didn't want his man, damn!

"Katherine Alexandria Cole, I'm telling your momma that you don't wear bras when you're around boys."

"Ugh, neither do you," Kitty said and pushed Bokuto directly into Akaashi who was ready to scold him quietly. "Besides, what's my mom gonna do about it? I'm all the way in Japan," she laughed.

"Oh yeah? You want me to tell momma Cole that you have sleep overs with boys with your boobs all out?"

"Not if you say it like that! Like I told you earlier, it's bedtime here and I was sleeping, and I didn't plan on having to do a backbend like this and Kuroo invited them here without even checking with me and..."

"I see distance has given you a smart mouth full of excuses. ANYWAY, let's get back to the reason I'm calling you. You know the dance you prepared for a trio? This freshman girl we had to give your part to ain't want to do it right, so I need you to show her _again_."

"The _Alejandro_ one? Yeah, I guess I can do it... uh" Kitty blushed and looked back at her new "friends" focusing on her. At least Kenma had the decency to mind his own business.

"Why you actin shy for? You didn't have any issue teaching it to her before. Our lunch break is almost over, so hurry up."

"Okay, okay, just play the music and I'll show her what she's supposed to do."

Three minutes and two rosy cheeks later, Kitty had performed the number and helped the younger dancer with any corrections she needed.

"Thanks, Kit Cat! KiKi always said you were the most dependable friend she ever had. Good luck at your new school. You'll watch the competition, won't you?"

"Yeah, of course! What day is it again?"

"May fifth, girl! Your birthday, dummy!"

"Oh, yeah...I'll call you when I watch it okay? Since our time zones are so different, I probably won't see it until the next day."

"Yeah, yeah, bye Kitty. Oh! Could you give my number to the cutie playing on the PSP over there? You know I like the quiet ones."

"Bahahaa, his name is Kenma and, sure!"

"Hmm?" Kenma frowned, finally looking up to see the woman with a darker complexion than his and eyes sweeter than honey smiling over at him.

"Bye Kenma-baby," she winked and hung up the phone while Kitty and Kuroo doubled over in raspy giggles.

* * *

**March 27** **th** **9:00AM**

Bokuto and Akaashi had already gone their separate ways as Kitty drug her feet behind Kenma and Kuroo. She was _not pleased._

Apparently, Akaashi had expressed his concern about her lack of kanji-reading skills to Kuroo while she was sleeping and now the raven-haired, seventeen-year-old was going to spend his morning volleyball practice making sure she memorized enough to get through her year at Karasuno.

With each symbol she misinterpreted, she would have to run a lap around the gym. From his six years of knowing her, he knew that there were very few things in this world that she hated: racism and running. He found that making her take a lap with each failure would fix her lazy take on reading Japanese.

And she was _not pleased._

She forced a smile on her face as he led her into the gym that was currently filled with the Nekoma volleyball club.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Kas-er-een-san," a young man with lips as plump as hers, and soft eyes spoke first, "I'm Kai."

"Oh, thanks. It's nice to meet all of you too. You can call me Kitty, by the way. Just Kitty."

"Good, I didn't want to hear your name being butchered over and over again," a shorter guy with brown eyes replied.

"You must be Yaku," Kitty giggled.

"Huh? What have you been saying about me, Kuroo?"

"Only that you're the best libero, of course...demon-senpai," Tetsurō snickered. "Okay guys, as you all know, school starts the fifth of April. We're still accepting new club members for first years, so if you happen to find any that's interested, it isn't too late. For now, I want everyone to work on their serves."

_He seems focused. Maybe if I just slip away, I won't have to practice memorization of those damned symbols._

"Yo, kitten, go take a seat by the bleachers and we will get started on your education while they warm up."

"My education is fine," she mumbled, hoping that the words would go unnoticed.

"Is that so? Then what's this?" Kuroo frowned and held up the symbol for the word crow.

"Bird."

"Aww, so close, Miss-My-Education-Is-Fine. This symbol is for _crow_ , you know, the mascot for the school you're going to in less than a week. So, take your smartass around the gym."

"A crow is a bird. I think I get half credit and should be allowed to skip the punishment this time."

"No compromises, American, shoo!" Kuroo teased and pointed to the exit.

A few minutes later, Kitty was back and managed to get five whole symbols correct before being forced out the door again. Three failures later, she was bitching about how stupid and miserable running was before she finally gave up and laid face down on the grass behind the gym.

"Oh, umm, are you alive?" An unfamiliar voice tickled the tired girl's ears seconds before she felt his shoe poke her butt.

"No, I'm very much dead, thank you," she replied.

"What was that?" The voice replied and picked her up.

Lev's hands tucked under the small girl's armpits as he held her out like a child to examine her.

"Aww, you are so cute! And your eyes are so round and grey. You can't be from around here, or are you like me? Are you also half- Russian?"

"I'm full American."

"Ah! I see! What is wrong, little American? Are you hurt?"

"Only my pride. You can put me down, you know."

"You're like a kitten. You made a meow-like sound when I picked you up. If you're not from here, then you must belong to someone in the gym. The volleyball team is there. This is good. Maybe I can use you as leverage to get in."

"Huh? Leverage? You won't need any to apply. They are wanting some more first years to sign up, if you are that young. Surely not though...you're so...uh...tall..."

"I am a first year! This is great news!" Lev grinned and turned her around in his hands so that she now faced away from him before he walked them over to where she, unfortunately, knew Kuroo would be waiting for her.

"Kitty found a giant," Kenma frowned. He had been the first to notice the green-eyed teen carrying his new friend around as if she was a toddler.

"The fuck?" Kuroo also frowned before strutting over to the taller guy.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting your practice, but I found this stray lying in the grass outside. She's too cute to be by herself so I figured she belonged to one of you," Lev explained.

"Yeah, that's Kitty and she's mine," Kuroo nodded and raised his arms to take her.

"Oh yeah? Well I'll give her back in one condition," Lev stated and pulled her farther away.

"He wants to be on the team," Kitty added, trying not to get too angry with the way she was not only being manhandled as bait like some present, but with the way Kuroo casually claimed her too.

"That's all? Well, of course you can join," the captain smirked and removed Kitty from the lanky dude's grasp.

"What would you have done if he said no, Lev?" Kitty asked.

"I'm not sure. Maybe tuck you under my arm and make a run for it?" Lev replied.

"I don't think that would have ended well..." Kitty snickered at the way Rooster's eyes narrowed at Lev's blunt reply.

"Perhaps not. Is it okay if I join the others for practice today?" Lev asked Kuroo.

"Yeah, sure. I'll be over there shortly with instructions."

"Now that's all over and I've managed to get you another recruit, will you please put me down, Tetsurō?"

"No, I don't think I will. What were you thinking rolling around in the ground like that? What if a bad person had picked you up instead?"

"Oh please. It would have been your fault. You're the reason I was out there all alone."

"Excuse the fuck out of me, but _you're_ the reason you're out there alone. You're the one that can't tell the difference between the symbols cow and noon."

"THEY LOOK THE SAME YOU MONSTER AND YOU KNOW IT!"

"Noon has a slightly longer stroke at the top."

"Rooster! If you don't put me down, I'll...I'll..."

"You'll what? Hmm?" He teased, holding her higher in the air.

"I'll let you hold me in other ways if you put my feet back on the ground."

"Huh?" His eyes widened in surprise before he dropped her from the shock.

The volleyball team broke out into snickers as they watched the two from afar.

"You were right Kenma. The captain does have a sweet spot for the American. It's too bad she won't be going to school here," Yaku said.

"It's better that way. He would be too distracted if she stayed," Kai added.

"True. We can't have that when he wants to go to national's now can we?" Yaku voiced again.

"I don't know. It's nice having her around. I'd have more time to play my games if she were here," Kenma shrugged his shoulders.

"Where is it that she's going?" Lev joined in.

"Karasuno. It's in the northeastern area. I think it's in Miyagai," Kenma explained.

"I see," Yaku spoke again before Kuroo approached the team.

* * *

Kitty watched Tetsurō lead the team in various ways and developed a new appreciation for him. Commanding a team was no easy task, she knew that, but he made it seem so natural. It was clear that he had developed a good camaraderie with the members, and she hoped they would have a successful year seeing how it would be his last.

The cackling of thunder intruded her thoughts.

"That's it for the day, guys. See you all tomorrow morning," Kuroo dismissed once the team finished cleaning up the gym.

He was the last to leave, like any captain would be.

"It's a good thing I thought to bring an umbrella, huh Kitty?" He smiled down at her as they both paused at the gym doors.

"Yes," she whispered back as she stared at the beautiful scene in front of them.

The afternoon sky darkened to a soft grey. The drizzle from the clear, cool rain forced delicate vapors to fog up from the concrete that had warmed from the spring sun.

The sprinkle thickened the longer they remained there, but she didn't mind. She watched the puddles run down hill. She thought of Birmingham and the nightmares that came from the bustling Alabama city and pushed them into the fleeing water. The dread of her past could wash away with it.

She could move away from it, here, in Japan.

"Do you know why silver is my favorite color?" Kuroo finally spoke up. He had been too afraid to pull the pretty girl away from whatever it was that was making her stunningly steel-grey eyes light up.

"You never said, actually."

"A few years ago, I got curious about what you looked like. I found a picture of you on KiKi's Facebook. Her profile picture at the time was of you two dressed for a dance. I hadn't seen grey eyes before. They aren't so common around here, you know?"

"You like silver because of...my eyes?" Kitty blushed as she bit her bottom lip. No one had ever been so interested in her before. Was he playing with her?

"I know it's so cheesy..." Kuroo trailed, a dusting of rouge popping up on his face as well.

"No, not at all..." Kitty replied.

His tall form closed any space between them, and she felt her throat dry.

_Is this it? Is this about to be my first kiss?_ She wondered. Would her heart beat through her chest? She could feel it hammering away.

She tightened her grip around the umbrella she held onto as Kuroo's face narrowed towards her own. The way his eyes skimmed over her lips before his tongue licked at his own made her breath stop.

Then, a gust of brutal wind snatched the umbrella free from Kitty's grasp, forcing a squeal of surprise from the stunned girl.

"Whooop!" She gasped as the two watched the storm carry it unmercifully away.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, they burst into laughter. Kitty looked up at Kuroo from her teary-eyed laugh and _saw it_.

She saw a smile so genuine that the world took a second to freeze just so she could take its perfection in.

" _One day, the way he looked at me, the way he smiled at me, the world seemed to pause, and everything clicked. I just knew it."_

KiKi had been right.

It was a smile.

The world did pause.

Everything did click.

Kitty did not hesitate any longer to finish what Kuroo had intended. She stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and unashamedly sealed her lips onto his.

A few more minutes passed as the two, young lovers continued to embrace one another. They knew to stop before things became too heated, but they could not.

Kuroo could not pull his fingertips away from tracing each vertebrae of her spine. He swore to himself that his hands would memorize each section of her soft flesh before she left.

Kitty could not find the strength to push his hungry hands away. She wanted more, so she let the callused hands travel wherever they wanted.

Before either knew what was happening, her legs were wrapped around his waist and he was carrying her to the volleyball's club room. Her shirt was already over her head and discarded on the floor along with her bra.

Kuroo managed to free himself from his pants with the young woman still entwined to him.

"Is this okay?" He asked for the hundredth time in between his breathless kissing.

"Yes, yes, a million times, yes, please," Kitty whined as her fingers tugged on his long, black hair. Her lips traced his jawline as he slowly pulled her leggings down.

It wasn't the most romantic place. Hell, even his room would have been more decent than the floor of his goddamn club room, but he was so thirsty for her moans. If he stopped now, would he ever get a chance to hear them again?

He watched her face in awe as he carefully pushed her legs open for him. The way she nervously chewed her bottom lip was going to end him. How could he be so lucky? She was too pure, too beautiful for him. Didn't she know that?

Katherine Cole thought she was going to faint. Here she was, a short, plain-faced sixteen-year-old with someone she could only describe as being perfect. He was built like some Grecian god and she was tainting his perfection with her thick thighs and chunky waist. What was he thinking settling for her?

All thoughts of her not being good enough jumped out the window faster than she did the other night the second he inserted his middle finger into her.

"Oh," she gasped. She hadn't been one to experiment with herself. She had always been too shy, too busy with other things to bother with that.

Seconds later, he pushed a second finger in to ensure that she would be okay. She was as virgin, right? Her mannerisms were giving her away.

"I know I've already asked, but I just want to make sure. Kitten, are you ready for this?"

"Yes," she whispered back.

She chanced a glance down and was _not_ ready for the solid ten inches of man Kuroo was holding in his fist to push into her.

She laid her head back and closed her eyes in anticipation.

His hazel eyes loomed over her trembling figure once more. She said she was ready, but her body was telling him something else: she was absolutely terrified.

"Kitty Cat, I don't think—"

Kitty did something she had never thought of herself brave enough to do. She sat up, sank her teeth into his neck, sucked, and thrusted her hips closer to him.

"Please," she begged as seductively as she could.

That was all it took for him to lose any self-control he had left. He softly lowered her back down, buried his face beside her neck to breathe in her sweet, floral scent, and then pushed himself slowly into the warmth she presented just for him.

It was as dewy as the atmosphere that led them there. How could this little American be as beautifully intoxicating as the rain raging outside? She was the perfect personification of the thunderstorm.

He could not fathom anyone or anything as holy as the figure moaning in the bliss he was sending her in. It was then that he fully understood what it meant to fall for someone.

Three days. That was all it took for Tetsurō Kuroo to know that he was in love.


	5. Miscommunications

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still super new to the fandom, so I'm not really sure what OTP's are popular, and which are not. Either way, I am so in love with Bokuto X Akaashi, so SPOILER, this chapter is going to revolve around them lol! If any of you are BokuAka fans too, please don't be afraid to give me any feedback about how I portrayed them.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading! I love any reviews, so don't be shy!

**March 29** **th** **11:30AM**

_Had it already been two days since that fateful moment of attraction in the clubroom?_ Kitty thought as her phone buzzed.

She hadn't been to another of Nekoma's practices since Yamamoto, a second year with a blonde mohawk and loud personality, burst into the clubroom while she was in the middle of putting her bra back on.

To say that she had been mortified would be an understatement. The poor boy locked eyes on her ivory chest and fainted. It was lucky that he had too. She didn't want to think about what Kuroo would have done otherwise.

_Speaking of Tetsurō,_ Katherine frowned as she read his good morning message, _what is he to me now?_

Kitty would be leaving Tokyo tomorrow and she and Kuroo _still_ hadn't discussed the extreme intimacy they were sharing. Nor had they established what exactly it was that they were.

Friends with benefits? A romantic couple? Were they just enjoying fucking now and would become platonic pals once she left?

More importantly, what was it that she wanted exactly? If she were being honest with herself, she had already developed an emotional connection to him despite her better judgement.

It wasn't like he was a stranger she had only known for half a week, though. This quickness in physical involvement was only natural for people who had spoken as close friends for _years_. Right?

She groaned at herself in annoyance. It wasn't even noon yet and she was already daydreaming about wedding gowns and orchid bouquets. She _knew_ that was stupid, that it was childish and naïve to even humor such ideas, but she was still a girl.

She was still a sixteen-year-old with a heart rich in innocence.

What did that make Kuroo?

That silly question had been plaguing her thoughts for days now. Fortunately, the chiming of her phone provided her with a much needed distraction.

"Hey mom!" She answered.

"Oh, honey...you answered so quickly...and loudly. You sound anxious. Is everything okay?"

"...I did? Hahaha I'm fine, really."

"Oh. My. God. It finally happened. KiKi's mother warned me not to let you go. She called it!"

"What? KiKi's mom called what?!"

"You did it. My precious little bugaboo had sex. Please tell me you used protection!"

"Mom! I didn't do...well... I totally did. You caught me."

"I knew it. I knew it the second I saw the way his eyes lit up when you two first met on the damned video conference that he was going to be the one to take my baby's innocence! MY BABY OH MY GOD!"

"Please momma, please, you're making it so weird."

"You're lucky you're all the way in Japan or I'd make it even weirder! I'd have you two sitting on our living room couch for a big talk little miss! Well, what's done is done. Other than my only child losing her virginity, what else have you been up to?"

"So... uh...the taker of my flower has been making me read all the forms of Japanese before I start school which has been totally lame. I've met and hung out with his friends and they're all pretty cool. They each have their quirks, you know? I've gotten to see all kinds of neat places here in Tokyo too! I'll send you the pictures as soon as I'm settled in Miyagi. And the food! The food is so good!"

"You sound like you're on cloud nine, sweet girl. I haven't heard you ramble so giddily in so long. It's good to hear your happiness again. I was worried..."

"I know momma— oh! I need to let you go. There's someone banging on the door. I love you!"

"Stay safe. I love you too!"

Kitty hung up and answered the spastic knocking with a quizzical look. She was not prepared to be greeted by a panic-stricken Bokuto.

"Uh...Bokuto...you okay buddy?"

"NO! Come with me NOW!" He yelled.

The confused blonde didn't even get a chance to respond before the crazed boy snatched her hand and pulled her outside. He barely spared her a second to lace the white converse she was struggling to tie with him pulling on the hem of her flowy shirt.

"What the hell is going on? You look terrified. Wait. Is Kuroo okay? Is Rooster okay?!"

"ROOSTER?! This isn't about him, Blondie! This is about _me_."

"Oh," Kitty sighed in relief. She tucked her hands in the red Nekoma jacket she had "borrowed" from Tetsurō and begrudgingly allowed herself to be pulled along.

"What do you mean 'oh'?! This is freaking serious shorty!"

"Well tell me what the hell is going on so that I can take it seriously, damn it!"

"Okay, okay! Don't you be getting all sassy with me too. I get enough belittling from Akaashi."

"I'm sorry, Bokuto-san. Please tell me what's wrong."

"There's this second year at my school that's been obsessing over me. Which is normally fine and completely understandable. I mean, who wouldn't obsess over me, right?"

"Right. Who wouldn't?" Kitty replied in a tone that she knew Akaashi would have used in this situation.

How did he deal with this boy on a daily basis? And why the heck wasn't he here to deal with him now?!

"But this one is going a bit too far. She's the type that won't give up until I make it clear that I have someone. I need to show her that I'm completely unavailable."

_Again,_ Kitty thought, _why wasn't Akaashi here to handle this? Unless...unless Bokuto is really that oblivious?_

"I don't mind helping out with this stranger danger issue, but does Akaashi know that you're about to use me?"

"No, but he'll understand. It's not like you're on the top of his list of potential girlfriends or anything like that! I wouldn't bother with another bro's territory you know?"

"Yeah, I don't think Akaashi has a list like that. But while we're on the topic of potential girlfriends, does Kuroo know that you were paying me a visit?"

"Worried over Tetsurō again? You got a thing for him or something shortstuff?" He raised an eyebrow in accusation.

"...Or something..."

"Shit! I see her behind us. Hurry, we can make the bus!" The spikey-haired teen interrupted and sprinted with Kitty in tow.

If Katherine Alexandria Cole didn't know any better, she would have _sworn_ she saw Akaashi with a blue baseball cap and bushy mustache climb into the bus with them. But the strangely familiar fellow was already seated and turned away from her to confirm her suspicions. Surely, she was only seeing things.

"Oh jeez, she's staring at us. Quick, give me a kiss!" Bokuto demanded and pulled her face to his.

"Huh?! Oh, I guess it's okay since we're pretending? I mean..." Kitty managed to sputter before he forced his lips onto her still open mouth.

The doors to the bus slammed shut, ensuring that the two teens would get away from the stalker.

"THE HELL is wrong with you?! You can't just throw that at me!" Kitty scolded and pushed the smirking man away.

She was horrified that the goofy-grinning boy next to her would think the bold action, even in desperation, was funny.

"I panicked, okay! Please don't be mad at me, Kit Cat. It wasn't that bad was it?"

"My mouth was opened, you baboon-brain! It's fine though. I accept your apology."

* * *

Akaashi wasn't one who liked to talk on the phone, so Kuroo knew something was dreadfully wrong when the Fukurōdani setter's name popped up on his screen.

"Yo, Akaashi."

"Please tell me that you have some sort of explanation as to why Kitty-san and Bokuto are on a date."

"Dude, what?"

"Bokuto is currently feeding Kitty dango and she seems happy about it."

"Are you...is this a joke cause you really got me bro."

"I just sent a pic."

Kuroo stared at the picture of Kitty opening her mouth to accept the sweet dumpling from Bokuto and cleared his tightening throat. There had to be more to the story. Kitty wouldn't intentionally hurt him like that, would she?

I mean, sure, he didn't tell her that they were exclusive or anything like that, but...

"Send me the location and I'll meet you there. Got it. I'm on my way."

Twenty minutes later, Akaashi and Kuroo were seated at a bench across from the restaurant serving the "couple" dessert.

The two were in such poorly made disguises that Kitty wanted to scream and laugh at the same time: scream at Bokuto for even putting them in such a predicament and laugh at how ridiculous Kuroo and Akaashi looked with their handlebar-styled mustaches.

However, she needed to stay cool and keep up with the charade because the fucking stalker had found them and was currently walking towards them from the other side of the street.

This wasn't exactly how she wanted to spend her last day in Tokyo, but at least she wasn't closed up inside and bored.

"How much longer do you think we're going to have to do this, Bokuto-san? It's getting close to lunch time and Kuroo said he'd be home then. He's got something yummy planned and I really don't want to miss his good cooking."

"I told you to call me Owl King!"

"She can't hear me talking to you from here!" But she suspected that their friends could with how loud he was being.

"I don't care, I kinda like the way you make it sound."

"Bokuto, I swear to FUCKING Christ I'm this close to LOSING my shit," Kitty rolled her eyes and lifted her index finger and thumb an inch apart from one another.

Then, she pulled out her phone from the jacket pocket knowing good and well that the message she was whipping up was probably going to go ignored what with the recipient staring her down several feet away. Regardless, she wanted him to know that something was amiss so that she wouldn't be in too much trouble later.

_Sorry if I'm not home when you get there. I'm doing_

"Hey hey hey! Who do you think you're texting in the middle of my predicament? It's one of your old dance team chicks isn't it?" Bokuto whined before taking the girl's phone away, changing it to her camera, snapping a picture of himself winking, and then sent it to the person she was ignoring him for.

"Wow. You better hope he's the understanding type," Kitty sighed, also hoping that Kuroo was because heaven forbid if he wasn't the listening kind of person after that stupid message.

It was supposed to get her out of trouble, not make the situation worse! She was trying to say that she was doing Bokuto a favor, but that's not how it was going to look thanks to the ball of crazy next to her.

* * *

"What do you think they're talking about?" Kuroo frowned. He didn't like the way Bokuto was laughing. Was she making fun of his penis size?! He always thought he was bigger than the average.

"She said something about fucking and losing?" Akaashi shrugged.

"Oh, she just sent me some—"

"What is it, Kuroo?" Akaashi slowly replied. He could feel the heat radiate from the taller teen beside him.

"That's it, man, I'm going over there. Bokuto's crossed the line this time."

Akaashi wanted to stop him, well a small part of him did at least. The rest was eagerly awaiting Bokuto's beatdown.

* * *

Bokuto frowned at the petite girl rubbing her eyebrows anxiously. Little did he know of the threats zeroing in on them. All three spies were within earshot and only Kitty seemed remotely aware of the impending doom.

Kuroo was rolling his sleeves up for the inevitable fight he never thought he'd have with the top five ace when Akaashi placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"I can hear them now. I think I may have over analyzed what was going on," Akaashi whispered. The two began to eavesdrop from their tense stance a few feet away.

"Look, I get that I sorda kidnapped you from Kuroo's place and I get that I sorda dragged you into helping me. But, please, Kit Cat, I wouldn't ask for your help if I didn't need it."

"I know..." Kitty trailed. Her level of discomfort was steadily increasing to the point that even the goofily natured teen beside her could feel it.

"Are you still upset with me about the text thing? If something comes of it, I'll explain it okay? Now turn that frown upside down and play with my hair the way Akaashi does when I'm getting all sad."

"Bokuto-san, I don't mind helping with your girl issues. I don't. But, when you say things like that, it really lets me know that Akaashi would be best suited for this hassle you're in," Kitty replied as she leaned closer to softly trace his hairline with her fingertips.

"What do you mean?"

"Why is it that you asked me to help you with this and not him? Wouldn't it be a lot easier to get these fangirls off your dick if you just...I don't know...make him your boyfriend?"

With that, Kuroo and Akaashi stiffened.

"Boyfriend?! Whoa there Blondie, I think you're forgetting how much I like your tits," Bokuto choked on the dumpling he had taken a bite out of.

"Ah yes, my boobs and Akaashi's thighs. You are quite the bisexual deviant, aren't you? Oh, don't look at me like you didn't know this about yourself! I noticed the way you sat by Akaashi when you guys were over. I noticed how you always looked at him for approval and validation whenever you want to do something dumb. So, if I can see those things in a single night, I'm sure you can see where I'm coming from."

His owl-like eyes widened as her words set in.

_Akaashi,_ his oldest and closest friend. _Akaashi_ , the person that knew all his ticks, goals, dreams, and aspirations.

Whenever he saw himself achieving such things, he always visualized _Akaashi_ right there with him.

"I think I love Keiji."

"Mmm hmm. So, why don't you give him a call? The sooner the better," Kitty shrugged, sensing danger approaching. She was too afraid to look and see if it was the stalker, Akaashi, or Kuroo.

_Oh heck, where did they go?_ Kitty frantically scanned the street in search of the volleyball boys and the stalker.

"YOU! YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST TAKE MY BOKUTO LIKE THIS?!"

"I can explain," Kitty began

"Then do so, you short, chunky, big bottom bitch."

"I...wait...I got a big butt?" Kitty asked before craning her neck to check.

"GO BACK HOME YOU FAT AMERICAN!"

"Okay, so it wasn't meant as a compliment then? In that case, I'm out. I'm done playing this game with you, Bokuto. I wasn't ready to get my feelings hurt today, so here, Akaashi, take your _boyfriend_ back and tell this psycho what's what cause I'm so over it!" Kitty snapped and snatched the mustaches off both the boys that had been hovering awkwardly around her.

Kuroo chased after the tiny woman storming away. He wasn't quite sure how to handle her anger since he had never been exposed to it before. She didn't seem like the type to have a hot temper based on all the interactions they had up till this point, so he could only hope that he could calm her down correctly.

"Whoa there, kitten. I'm still trying to process everything that happened in the last five minutes because I went from thinking you were done with me, to watching my best bro finally admit his feelings for his setter, to you getting spicy which isn't something I'm familiar with like _at all_."

Kitty paused. Kuroo felt his heart drop as her cold, grey eyes studied his concerned face.

"Rooster, do you think I'm chunky?"

"Can I be honest?"

Kitty gulped and reluctantly nodded.

"If I was an enzyme, I'd be helicase so that I could unzip your genes. In other words, I think you're perfect."

"Pffft, you're so cute," Kitty snorted.

"So you say. Now, let's get home. I promised to show you how to make my favorite dish and I'm starving," Kuroo smiled and held out his hand for the kittycat to take.

"Yes, let's go."


End file.
